‘Wicked: For Good’ Review: Good Enough

Just about a year after the release of “Wicked” — the film adaptation of Act 1 of the original Broadway musical — the sequel, “Wicked: For Good,” arrived on Nov. 21, bringing Act 2 to the screen. Taking place a few years after the first act, this installment leans more heavily into the musical’s darker themes while expanding the mythology and backstory of “The Wizard of Oz.”

“Wicked: For Good” excels through its impressive world-building, performances, and soundtrack. However, between following the weaker act of the original Broadway production and the disorganized writing, the film remains inferior to the first installment.

The film immediately immerses its audience into Oz with a vibrant rendition of “Every Day More Wicked.” Propaganda floods the streets, Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande) idolized and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), the Wicked Witch of the West, vilified.

The visual design remains impeccable like in the first film, from the Oz-themed Universal logo sequence to the end credits. Iconic locations from “The Wizard of Oz” come alive, most notably as the Yellow Brick Road is installed, which creates a clear juxtaposition between the nostalgic and utopic road and the gloomy and sharp architecture of Oz. The dominant dark green palette in both the costumes and set pieces effectively reinforces the musical’s central metaphors.

Similarly, the costumes build on the strengths of the first film, showcasing an eclectic and fantastical aesthetic. Glinda’s wardrobe is especially successful, amplifying her princess-like glamor and demonstrating her evolution into a carefully polished public figure.

Unsurprisingly, the vocal performances are extraordinary. Erivo’s numbers such as “No Good Deed” not only match but trump the vocal skills showcased in “Defying Gravity.” And while Erivo is most impressive in her solo performances, her voice blends beautifully with Bailey and Grande, demonstrated in “As Long As You’re Mine” and “For Good.”

The film score works in tandem with the musical numbers to heighten the emotions and tone of talking sequences, becoming more intense when characters are in danger and more jovial when scenes err towards cliché. Collectively, these elements produce remarkably effective world-building.

However, by far the strongest elements of the film are Grande and Erivo’s performances. Whether they’re dancing together or fighting with each other, their chemistry is undeniable, comedic, and completely captivating. By nature of the plot of “Wicked,” they share less screen-time together in this film than the first. Nevertheless, their scenes together steal the show and define “Wicked: For Good.”

Still, this film is much weaker than its predecessor. Only so much can be attributed to the production team — Act 1 of “Wicked” is generally stronger, featuring both the most iconic songs of the show and the entire set-up of Glinda and Elphaba’s relationship.

The filmmakers were certainly aware, attempting to even the score by adding in two new numbers also necessary to maintain the over two-hour runtime. While they’re well-written, their necessity points to a larger weakness of the film — there was simply not enough content in the original Broadway musical to fill two feature films.

Even with the material they already had to work with, the film doesn’t fully deliver. The first installment finds its strength in the set-up of relationships and emotional stakes. By contrast, “Wicked: For Good” assumes the emotional weight of each scene rather than building it. Nearly every emotional moment depends on relationships developed in the first film, doing little to deepen or evolve them. Elphaba and Glinda’s dynamic feels largely static, and although there are plot developments between Elphaba and Fiyero, those moments do not meaningfully advance their relationship.

This issue becomes especially clear in Act 2’s signature number, “For Good.” Without the emotional escalation that the song relies on, the performance feels noticeably less powerful — especially when compared to the strength of “Defying Gravity,” the finale of the first film.

When director Jon M. Chu first announced that “Wicked” would be split into two films, many fans were skeptical. The first film suggested the decision had merit: The additional hour devoted to Act 1 deepened the emotional arcs so effectively that the expansion felt justified. However, the extra hour added to Act 2, instead of enriching the story’s emotional core, leaves the film feeling more scattered when compared to the tight, focused writing of the original musical.

Extended sequences such as the construction of the Yellow Brick Road, Glinda’s backstory, scenes involving Nessarose’s (Marissa Bode) disability, and even an added wedding, attempt to build emotional resonance but instead fall flat. The writing fails to justify these additions, and in doing so, detracts from the strength of the original plot. In fact, at points, even non-comedic dialogue may draw unintended laughter from the audience.

“Wicked: For Good” ultimately underscores the shortcomings of splitting the story into two films. In any two-part adaptation, one film will inevitably suffer due to the structure of the original narrative, whether from a weaker plot, diminished emotional stakes, or simply less compelling material to expand upon. And in this case, “Wicked: For Good” is certainly left holding the short end of the stick.

—Staff writer Anat Goldstein can be reached at anat.goldstein@thecrimson.com.